The invention relates generally to generating brick models and in particular, to generating virtual brick models. Currently, brick models, such as those sold by the LEGO Group of Companies (“LEGO”), are sold to consumers in a number of ways. A consumer typically reviews a description of a brick model (e.g., the packaging for the brick model, a catalog, an e-catalog, an in-store display, etc.) to determine whether the consumer will purchase a brick model. The model may correspond to any item created by bricks. In general, consumers either select a model or models from sets of models defined by the manufacturer or generate their own creative models. The manufacturer's models typically are accompanied by instructions for assembling the model. While the current approach to distributing models is well accepted, the consumer is limited to either purchasing and assembling predefined models generated by a model designer who works for a manufacturer or designing their own models out of materials they have purchased, without assistance from the model designer.